Polish football chief says Russia should not host 2018 World Cup
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
22.05.2015 15:54
Chairman of the Polish Football Association Zbigniew Boniek has said that Russia should be stripped of its status as host of the 2018 World Cup owing to its involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
Zbigniew BoniekBild: wikimedia commons/Roger Gor
“Hosting the World Cup in Russia is a catastrophic mistake, because it is a country that's leading an open war - it invaded another country,” Boniek told the Gazeta Wyborcza daily, in one of the most outspoken comments on the subject in recent months.
“When FIFA chose the host of the World Cup in 2010, there was some sense in having the tournament in Russia, but in the current situation, when there is war in Ukraine?
“The FIFA contract with Russia should have a clause that in the eventuality of war, the Executive Committee can deprive it of being able to organize the tournament,” he argued.
Boniek acknowledged that there's little chance that he will attend the qualifying draw in St Petersburg on 25 July, owing to his feelings about Russia hosting the cup.
“Should I pretend that nothing is happening, that everything's fine? Should I go and listen to the music as if there’s no war?
“I feel uncomfortable, so I’m thinking of going to Sardinia for holidays on 24 July,” he said. (nh)